Black Rose
by A. Potter
Summary: This story has to do w/ the charecters in the Elite Four, because those are my fav. char., don't ask me why, just READ! Char. Belong to game freak, and all that, too.


Well, it took a lot of courage to get this up here but here it is! I'm afraid  
that it's not as good as I hoped it would be, but I hope you enjoy reading  
it. There will be a new series following this one, about her ruling the  
Black league, which is an imaginary League coming from my little brain.  
Remember I am open to CONSTRUCTIVE (ahem... to those who call  
me evil, ) critisim, and comments. *Slightly romantic, the ONLY  
romantic fic I've ever written (wait, actually, there are two. Oops). Don't worry. : )  
C'ya!  
A. Potter  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Don't believe the cat who shows thieves escape." The voice echoed  
behind   
me, fading as I ran from it into the distance. "You will want to come back,   
but never return to this place again!" I couldn't hear anymore, not the   
leaves rustling, the voice, or even the small animals rushing in a frenzy to   
get away from my aching feet. Nothing mattered anymore. Except finding  
my   
parents. My parents… My parents… I slumped down in a dead faint.  
  
Lorelei Icestone woke up in a fit of tears and sweat. It took her awhile to   
remember who she was, and where she was. "Leave me alone! No! No!  
Leave me   
ALONE!" She cried in frustration. She then slid out of bed, her feet   
touching the freezing cold floor. She crept down the hall to the staircase,   
and downstairs to the bathroom. There she rinsed her face in the cold  
water,   
waking up more. She then walked into the kitchen and made a cup of  
raspberry   
tea with a dash of lemon. After finishing her tea, she walked into the   
living room, where Lance was reading a newspaper. "You're up already?"  
She   
groaned, "How do you do that?" "Well, it doesn't seem to help that a  
certain   
person that occupies the room across from me is screaming in her sleep  
for   
half the night." She blushed. "Sorry." He nodded.  
"Nightmare again?"  
"Yes."  
"Poor you."  
"I know."  
"I have my own, many nights."  
"Not as bad as mine, I bet."  
"Probably not. But you never told me what it's about. So I wouldn't  
know."  
"I'll try to stop screaming. I promise."  
"Nothing seems to work though, now does it?"  
"Oh, hush, you. You have any ideas, oh smart one?"  
"Yes. Many."  
"Enlighten me."  
"Go to the Celadon market today, and get a dream catcher. You got that?   
Also, look for the merchant, and tell him my name. See if he knows me."  
Lorelei lauged. Everyone knew the Dragon Master.   
"Okay. I'll ask."  
"Good. Now go."  
  
Lorelei dressed quickly and went downstairs. She hopped onto her bike a   
zoomed off to Celadon City. Lance watched from his window, shaking  
his head   
slowly. Why anyone biked from Viridian city to Celadon City was  
beyond him.   
He would have flown.  
  
I locked up my bike and headed toward the cluster of stalls. After asking   
around, I found the dream-catcher maker's booth. He grinned up at me.  
"Can I 'elp ye?"  
"I am looking for a Dream-catcher."  
"Ye come t' the right place, ma'am."  
"My friend asked me to ask if you knew him."  
"Wha's 'is name?"  
"Lance Dragonsinger."  
"Oh," said the man, startled. His speech became clearer, and his voice   
transformed into a crisp educated one. "Yes. You must be his sister,   
Lorelei." "Yes. Yes I am," I replied. "I have a very special dream-catcher   
for you to have for free, if you will deliver this package to my friend," he   
said. "All right," I answered apprehensively, "I'll do it." "Good! And by   
the way, if you ever need me, look up Alan Dreamruler," He said,  
handing me   
a small, round, lumpy package. Also, he gave me a small bag with a   
dream-catcher in it. I decided that I would look at it when I got home. I   
ran back to my bike and biked home.  
  
She entered the living room slowly and cautiously. Lance was still sitting   
there, this time working the crossword. Very funny, she thought, Lance  
never   
works the crossword unless he's nevous. Dismissing it, she spoke up.  
"Lance,   
I'm back, what's up?"  
"Nothing."  
"Very funny. You're doing the crossword."  
"Did you get a dreamcatcher?"  
"You never do the crossword unless you're nervous."  
"Did anything come for me in the mail?"  
"I didn't check. But there is something for you. It's a package from an  
Alan   
Dreamruler, says he knows you."  
  
At this Lance jumped about six feet into the air. "What???" He screeched,   
holding himself up with his very weak psychic powers. "Slow down,  
Lance,   
don't murder yourself. So I suppose you do know him. Anyway, here's  
the   
package." She landed the package on his lap, and made a foundation under  
him   
with her exceedingly strong psychic powers. She left the room, then,  
leaving   
Lance stuck six feet in the air, staring at the unopened package.  
  
As she was walking through the corridor, up some stairs, and back to her   
room, she had a bad feeling. To her surprise as she looked back, she saw a   
slow moving, green light. Frozen in place, she couldn't move as the green   
thing turned yellow. She slumped to the ground. From another part of the   
mansion came a shriek, "OH $#!%!! Lorelei!"  
  
The world was spinning… spinning… voices… blurry shapes… earth  
shaking… or   
was somebody shaking her???… That was a new concept… she could  
hear…   
yelling… her name…  
  
The world sharpened into focus. She was lying in her bed. Lance was  
shaking   
her, and Alan was yelling, and Agatha was yelling her name. She could  
hear   
Alan's voice now, screeching something, but not at her.  
"Lance, you idiot, why didn't you read the note?? If she hadn't had psycic   
powers, she would have DIED! I told you…"  
  
"Alan, shut up already, and stop yelling at me. She's awake, already, she's   
AWAKE! Cool it okay, just cool it."  
  
"Wha—Huh? What's going on, what happened, and what are you two  
yelling   
about? It's not THAT serious, or I would be dead by now. And Alan, just   
curious, but why would you care this much? I just met you, you know,  
and you   
don't know me yet. Looks can be decieving!!!" Lorelei asked teasingly.  
Alan   
blushed a bright crimson color and muttered, "No reason…" She smiled   
sweetly, but said nothing. Then, more seriously, she added, "but what is   
going on, or, correction, what DID go on? What was that weird  
smoky/light   
thing?" She frowned, "It DID attack me, so I have a right to know what  
went   
on there. Otherwise, I could obtain the information myself, but it  
wouldn't   
be very comfortable for you…" Lance smiled at his half-sister's   
determination, but shook his head. "Not telling," they chorused. She  
made   
angry faces at them.  
  
Later……  
  
Agatha found Lorelei in the garden, to her surprise, talking to Sabrina.  
  
"And then he blushed a DEEP red, oh, it was sooooo funny!" Lorelei  
laughed.   
Sabrina shrieked with laughter. Agatha stepped out into the open and said,   
"Now what is going on here?" Lorelei turned dead white and just stared.  
She   
knew how much Agatha hated Sabrina. But Aggie seemed angry. Really,  
really   
angry. "Leave, now," Agatha's voice was cool, but dangerous. As Lorelei  
fled   
with Sabrina, she didn't realize what she had been standing on…. Agatha  
just   
stood there and glared after them. Then, after a few minutes, she carefully   
knelt down to where Lorelei had been standing. Slowly she dusted off a  
flat   
stone partway buried in the ground. It was a grave for her old pokemon,   
Gastly. A silent tear escaped from her eye and slipped down her cheek as   
angry rage boiled inside her. She stood up and made a low growling  
sound,   
deep in her throat, and transformed into a Houndoom. She raced off.  
  
Carefully Lorelei made her way through Agatha's secret hideout, trying  
not   
to step on anything that would make the attic floor creak or that would  
make   
a noise. She didn't want Aggie to hear her. To her surprise, she heard a  
low   
growling up ahead. She quickly slid behind a stack of old, falling apart   
trunks. She peered over. There stood, not Agatha, but a giant, ferocious   
Houndoom. And the Houndoom was wearing Aggie's amethyst necklace.  
She froze.   
That couldn't be… Agatha…. What the…?? As if sensing her, the  
Houndoom   
pounced in the direction of the trunks. Lorelei screamed. Agatha had   
discovered her presence.  
The world slowly faded to white…  
  
What happened now? Alan thought as he raced on his ponyta to the  
hospital,   
Did it have something to do with my sister, Agatha? What about her  
friend…   
he felt his heart squeeze in his chest, Lorelei? It has to be one or the   
other… one or the other…  
  
He would soon find out that it was both.  
  
Lance looked up as Alan stormed in, cloak held together at the top with a   
clasp, and the rest straming out behind him. "What are you doing here?  
Who   
called you?" Lance questioned. "This is my sister we're talking about here!   
Of course I had to show up! Bernie, my sister, called me over in her place,   
because she has pnuemonia." Alan countered. Meanwhile, his head was  
racing. …   
Did they discover her secret? What happened? The only way would be  
that she   
was still in… still in… her houndoom form… Alan felt sick. He ran up the   
stairs to the hospital rooms, tackling his way past the guards.  
  
As Alan stormed out, Lance jumped up and followed him. He still didn't  
have   
a clear idea of what was happening, and Alan seemed to. Why not? The  
world   
is a mystery he thought as he climbed the stairs.  
  
"What do you mean, you won't tell me? I have every right in the world to   
know! C'mon, Agatha, answer me! What did I do wrong? I'm sure I didn't  
mean   
to!" Lorelei weedled. She sighed with resignation. Trying to talk to her   
friend now was tough. Even though Aggie had transformed awhile ago,  
back to   
human form, she refused to speak. Suddenly, the door blasted off its  
hinges.   
Agatha screamed from behind the curtain. "Agatha!" Yelled the figure at  
the   
door, "I remember the counter-potion! I have it! Please come out from  
behind   
the curtain! There was silence. Lorelei could her wimpers from behind the   
curtains. She turned over, and her heart leaped into her throat. It was   
Alan.  
  
Alan gaped. There was Lorelei! "What's going on here? Why are you  
here?" She   
demanded. "Ummmmm, weeeeelll, I wanted to see my sister!" Alan  
stuttered,   
"Is there a problem with that?" "Well, what about this, this,  
counter-potion   
th-" Lorelei was then interrupted by Agatha. "Alan, give it to me, quick!   
And if you want me to survive, you'll hurry up!" He reached behind the   
curtain and handed her the potion. He then ducked back, avoiding eye   
contact with Lorelei.  
Lorelei heard Agatha drinking the potion. Then Agatha walked out, not  
taking notice of them, muttering, "Have to get home, Bernie is waiting..."   
Lorelei looked at Alan. "It always takes away the memory of the drinker  
for 24 hours. No matter. Are YOU alright?" He swooped down on her.  
She looked away and up again, not daring to hope. "It actually sounds like  
you CARE about me," she said teasingly. He hesitated, then sat down  
next to her. "Oh, but I do," he said quietly. Her eyes shined. And he  
kissed her.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Yep, it's love," Agatha said over the phone to Berniece.   
"I see."  
"Isn't that just the cutest thing??"  
"Well, you never fell in love, so I wouldn't be talking, Aggie, dear."  
"I have to go, and I will visit soon."  
Agatha hung up the phone and sighed. The potion hadn't wiped her  
memory, but it had cured her. She was proud of her brother. She  
remembered when Alan had been in a car accident and wasn't expected to  
live, but Bernie came and he miraculously recovered. Now he seemed to  
be leading his own life. Maybe, she thought mischieviously, Lorelei might  
be part of the family, too.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
**Six months later**  
  
Lorelei sat on her bed, absentmindedly knitting. She liked to do  
absent-minded sort of things after league competitions. Alan had just  
returned from a buisness trip a few minutes ago, and would be coming to  
see her as soon, she was sure of it. Five minutes later, he was there.  
But for very different reasons.   
He swept in and kissed her quickly, then sat down next to her, gave her a  
hug, and kept an arm around her shoulder. Immediatly, she knew  
something was wrong. "What?" She asked. "Lorelei," he started slowly,   
"I suppose you are wondering why I came back from my trip so early.  
Well, to put it shortly, I was Summoned. I have to go up to the black  
league and station as patrol. You cannot come. I'm sorry." Lorelei gasped.  
There was a good chance that if Alan left for the Black league, he would  
never return alive again. "I understand, Alan," she replied softly, "But,  
why can't I come with you? Nothing could keep me back if you needed  
me, and you know that." He sighed. "Well, Lorelei, it's a long story. To  
shorten it, you are an Indigo League member, and you cannot put yourself  
in that danger. I'm sorry, and I wanted you to come, but for your safety,  
you must remain behind. I will be back in four years."   
"But, Alan, I was born in the Black League. They consider me a stolen  
hostage from their country. They will accept me."  
  
"And never allow you to come back again. What about when I come back  
in four years from now? You wouldn't be able to come back with me. But  
I wanted to ask you something before I leave next Tuesday, in exactly one  
week."  
"What?"  
"Ummmm----"  
"Well?"  
"Will you marry me?"  
"Yes, of course, Alan. But when you get shipped off to the Black League,  
you can't die on me!" She hugged him.   
At that moment, the door blasted open, and Lance came hurrying in.  
"Alan," he panted, "we leave Friday. There was been open war declared  
on the Red League on the theft of the Symbol." Alan nodded, slowly  
turning white. But they were interrupted by Lorelei.  
"What do you mean, we?"  
Lance sighed. "Lorelei, I will be going WITH Alan to the Black League."  
"Then I'm coming to!"  
"No you're not!"  
Alan stepped back, amazed at how the two could raise such a storm.  
"YOU will be ignorant there! You'll be taken advantage of, and you will  
be shot within 24 hours! You will deal with all the wrong people, people  
will hate you for being the Elite Master, will hate you for not being native,  
or in the company of a native, and most of all, people will hate you for  
ME!"  
"What do you mean, you? What do you have to do with anything?"  
"I know you learned the Fighting Arts from Koga, but did you ever know  
where I learned them?"  
"You know the Fighting Arts?"  
In two seconds he was on his back in defeat, and to Alan it was all a blur.  
Lance got up slowly, wincing.  
"Yes."  
"Obviously."  
"So here's the test, Mister. Where did I learn them? I know you learned  
them at five, and so to add a bonus, how old was I when I started?"  
"No idea."  
Bruno wlked through the doorway, and replied for him.  
"You learned them in the Black League, where you were born, at the age  
of three, by the emperor of the Black League himself."  
"Thank you."  
Lance gaped.  
"Whoa- Lorelei, you were born there??? And Bruno, how did you know  
that??"  
"Watch your back, Dragon-fang," Bruno said teasingly, "I know because I  
was visiting with my sister, who was visiting a native friend. Ice-fighter  
here learned from the emperor and was the next in line for the  
Black-League throne. She was the emperor's chosen."  
"Wow... But, why did you call me Dragon-fang, and Lorelei, Ice-fighter?"  
"Silly," Lorelei, "That was what the emperor dubbed me, and what the  
Black League dubbs you! Bruno, why are you here?"  
"Well, the Emperor sent you a letter which his Murkrow brought here,  
and I thought to get it before Lance did, like I always do."  
"What-!" Lance spluttered.  
"So, here it is." Bruno finished, and handed Lorelei the letter. She read it  
aloud. This is what it said.   
Dear Ice-fighter,  
I am dying and I need you to come back to me. No one will hurt you, as  
long as you show the Crest to them. The Crest will also protect companions as  
long as they are near you. You need to come back and claim the throne while I  
am still alive, or the country will be thrown into even more tumult. I trust  
you, the league trusts you, and the league looks up to you and still believes that  
you are to be the rightful leader. I heard that men and women are not always  
equal in your temporary home. You really must tell me everything. But I have  
to rest, or risk extreme fatigue.  
  
His royal majesty,  
Dossan Besnuarkis  
  
"He's dying! And you never told me?!"  
"I didn't know till you knew."  
There seemed to be a change of air quality around Lorelei. To Lance she  
seemed more imperial than ever before. Lance had to ask Bruno  
something, it was way off the topic, but it popped out of his mouth  
anyway.  
"Bruno, can you beat Lorelei in a practice combat?"  
Both Bruno and Lorelei looked suprised.  
"A practice combat round? The Black League fights for keeps, mostly,"  
Lorelei informed him.  
"But I suppose we could try," Bruno added, glancing at Lorelei.  
"Wait a minute," Alan stepped in, "Lorelei, you aren't going to get  
yourself killed, are you? Bruno is tough!" But she just flashed him a grin  
and whipped her head back, making her braid fly. "Let's go!" She cried.  
Everyone else followed, sighing.   
Out on the pokemon battlefield, Lorelei reviewed and prepared mentally,  
and Bruno was excercising with his pokemon for company. Soon they  
were ready, and stood in battle position, ready. In their type of combat,  
there was to be no talking at all, and only Black League style fighting. As  
soon as you got your opponent on their back, you won. That was all. The  
new rule was, no major injuries. The whistle blew, the battle began.  
They both came out to the center and bowed, and then Bruno lunged  
with his invincible move (or so he thought) and Lorelei jumped and  
skimmed right over him. Quick as lightning, Lorelei started on some  
speed punches, which Bruno evaded about half of. Then Lorelei became  
extra-concentrated, and twsted around, and backflip-doged some kicks,  
only landing on one hand and punching with the other. Bruno  
cartwheeled to end up evading two of them. Then, as Lorelei was right  
across from Bruno, her body made a slithering motion and departed from  
the ground. Obviously there was power in the kickoff, though, because  
her feet slammed into his chest bringing him down. She sailed right over  
him and landed brushing off dust.   
Over on the stands, Lance commented, "Wow, she is good, isn't she?"  
"No kidding," Alan replied, "So I know that I'll be protected when  
terrorists try to ruin our wedding or something. We're getting married in  
the Black League, dontcha know." "You're getting MARRIED?" Lance  
yelled in a suprised tone. Lorelei looked over at him and smiled. Then she  
helped Bruno up, and they bowed again. After that, they went to meet the  
spectators. "Wow, what was that move? I don't even remember how to do  
it, it went so fast," commented Bruno as they walked back. "Oh, the one  
that took you down? The Emperor taught it to me. It took me until I  
moved to master it. I tried to get Koga to help me better my skills, but I  
beat him hands-down when he tried to help me." At this time, they had  
arrived in the spectators stand where the rest of them were sitting. Lance  
was still gawping at Lorelei and Alan, and Agatha was laughing to tears.  
Suddenly, a Murkrow landed on Lorelei's shoulder. It had a letter from  
the emperor. Basically, all it said was, "come now." After relaying the  
message, Lorelei and Alan hopped onto Articuno, and Lance got on  
Dragonite. Agatha would stay home, and so would Bruno. They soared  
off into the wilderness of the sky.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Over the Black League territory  
Lorelei was watching Lance on Dragonite absentmindedly. Up in the air,  
there were no worries. So it was a suprise to her when Lance let out a yell,  
and shouted, "Stunned!" And Dragonite fell through the sky. "Articuno,  
follow them, NOW!" Articuno swooped downward, Alan hanging on for  
dear life, just waking up.  
They landed on the ground with a hurried bump. Lorelei jumped off,  
Alan staying with Articuno. She was dressed in traditional Black League  
clothing, complete with a black cloak, with a clasp at the top, the hood  
thrown back. Using her psycic power, she levitated herself over the heads  
of the crowd. In the center of the crowd, she saw Lance and a stunned  
Dragonite. "What is the meaning of this!" She bellowed, "These are my  
traveling companions! Do I need to prove this to you? Here is the crest!"  
A little pure-gold tablet jumped out of her pocket and swooped up above  
her head, emitting a gold radiation. "I am the Emperor's Chosen, come  
back to my people of the Black League! Let my friends go! Immediatly  
everyone fell to their knees and looked up, as they didn't believe. "Go  
on," Lorelei's voice, amplified, told the people, "You will see more of  
these people later. Go!" The spell was broken, and the people went on  
their way, off to gossip or recover. Lorelei sank down on her psycic  
platform, that, too, was fainting fast. Alan caught her as she fell to the  
ground.  
***  
The palace guards showed the way, through twisting and turning  
passageways. Lorelei had revived, and she didn't seem to need the guards'  
help. Finally, they reached a solid brass door. Unfortunately, as they went  
in, the guards pushed Lance and Alan into the crowd, while she walked  
forward, the crowds parting. She noticed there were many healers in that  
crowd. She went up to the steps leading to the throne, where she kneeled  
and bowed, her head touching the sparkling marble floor. She didn't dare  
look up. What would she see? A great man, just like he was when she left,  
or -her greatest fear- a shrunken man, sitting on the throne, half-eaten  
away by sickness?   
"Ice-fighter!"  
She looked up. He seemed strong, but there was a different way that he  
held himself. "Yes, your highness?" she gulped. "Come see me," was the  
command, "I have not seen you for years, my Chosen." Lorelei ran up,  
hugging the old man on the throne. He hugged he back, just as  
enthusiastically. "Well," he wispered to her, "say hello to your people!"  
She turned around. Thousands upon thousands of people had crowded  
into the room. Impressive, she thought to herself. She spoke loudly, so  
everyone could hear, "Thank you for welcome, my people. It is good to  
be home." The crowd cheered, and Lorelei felt her tension ease just a  
little. These people accepted her. Suddenly, life here seemed easier than in  
the Indigo League. She had forgotten that, even though there were many  
controversies, and much poverty, the people of the Black League were as  
close knit as a family. The whole country had celebrated when the  
Emperor's Chosen took her first steps. And they would cheer when she  
became Empress. She smiled and laughed as the crowd dispersed, feeling  
good to be home. She ran to greet Alan and Lance.  
"Lorelei, will we ever meet the Emperor?" Lance asked as she joined  
them. "Maybe," she agreed, "you can meet him now!" Despite protests,  
she dragged them up. "Now I'm warning you, boys, that he is into  
informality during personal meetings. Good?" All that met her ears were  
mutterings. She chuckled. They reached the throne platform. "Master  
Besnuarkis!" She shouted, "Here are my friends, Lance, (she pushed them  
forward in turn) and Alan. Go on, you two, he doesn't bite!" Lance  
mutterd under his breath, "Yeah, he only fights to the death!" Both the  
Emperor and Lorelei laughed. Alan was hit with the realization of how at  
home Lorelei was here. It's like she's so happy, she never wants to go back to  
Indigo... At about the same second, Lance was hit with the same  
realization. They both exchanged a glance as they walked up to see the  
Emperor.  
"So, men, you are... let me see..." The emperor stated. Lance felt power  
flood his brain, prying out all his secret feelings. The emperor smiled at  
him. "Yes," he continued, "You are Lance, the dragon master, THE  
Dragon-Fang, and Ice-fighter's step-brother. Interesting..." "And you," he  
said as he turned to Alan, "You are engaged to Lorelei. Will that last, after  
you see the extent of her power? After you know her past? Do you both  
have ongoing trust for trust for each other, and unwavering love?  
Questions to ask yourself. Welcome, both of you." Lance and Alan  
exchanged another look. Alan looked a bit scared. "Anyway," the  
emperor continued, "Lorelei, you will stay in your old place. (She let out a  
whoop of joy.) You, Lance, and you, Alan, we only have rooms on the  
other side of the palace. You will be staying with the troops. I'm sure,  
however, you will fit in nicely. Now, if you two want to attend any court  
happenings, let Lorelei know ahead of time, as she knows the way around  
and can just, generally, help you out. Any questions?" They shook their  
heads. Lorelei headed off one way and a guard took Lance and Alan  
another.  
**In the barracks**  
"Alan," Lance started with a little hesitation.  
"Yes?"  
"Do you think Lorelei will ever want to go back?"  
"Are you kidding? Of course she will!"  
"Are you just saying that or actually saying that?"  
"Well, I'm just trying to make myself feel better..."  
"You're such a bad liar, you decided to tell the truth. You finally figured it  
out."  
"Huh."  
"Seriously, Alan."  
"Well, ummm... Is it okay to say I don't have answer for that?"  
"You're as clueless as I am right now, aren't you?"  
"You could say that!"  
They both laughed, putting all problems behind them- for awhile.  
  
** In Lorelei's room**  
  
It was as if she had never left at all! She and Mitria, her girlhood friend, sat  
by a window in a little cottage inside a courtyard in the palace. A  
summery breeze was blowing and they were planning - what else? - the  
wedding. Lorelei inturrupted Mitria, who was talking about the man she  
was engaged to.  
  
"Mitria, shoudn't we go get Lance and Alan? It's almost dinner. I have a  
feeling that they probably don't want to eat with the troops."  
  
Mitria giggled. "No, I guess not." She replied. Everyone knew that  
Commander Hughe was tough. "Lorelei, why don't you change for  
dinner, and we'll go down."  
  
Lorelei nodded and went behind a curtain. After a few moments, she came  
out wearing more of the traditional clothing of a warrior, but now mainly  
in black. A shiny pin for the Chosen was pinned to the front. Mitria  
gasped. It was all made out of Black Velvet! How expensive! Then the  
were some diamond buttons in the shape of miniature swords to button  
the vest closed. Mitria tried not to laugh when everyone took a  
double-take at the outfit.  
  
"Isn't that a little glamorous for wearing to DINNER?" She whispered.  
  
"Well, this was the simplest, least expensive outfit that the Emporer gave  
me. I can't help it."  
  
Mitria just laughed. Suddenly the troops' barracks loomed up before them.  
A woman was yelling just inside the gate.  
  
"All right! The Chosen is approaching! Idiot on the left, there! Yes, you!  
Get in line! Here they come! Lets' MOVE!!"  
  
Lorelei grinned. THAT was Commander Hughe. Again, an old friend.  
She had left to train after being declared the Commander's chosen, and  
Lorelei had moved six months later. They went through the open gates.  
  
A huge boom greeted them. The soldiers, in pin- perfect lines, had broken  
the silence in honor for the Chosen. And there was Klyare (Clar) Hughe,  
waving and cheering. Next to her was a jet-black horse with a burning  
silver mane that looked really familier to Lorelei. As the horse tried to  
rear, everything clicked. That was her old horse, Darksilver! Of course,  
Lorelei hadn't recognized the horse, it had been much smaller when she  
had left it to the care of Wes and Opal, Klyare's parents. Lorelei ran over  
to the horse and watcher. "Klyare! Klyare Hughe! And Darksilver! She  
yelled and hugged them fiercly. Then, with everyone holding their breath  
(no one had been able to ride Darksilver ever since the Chosen had left)  
she swung up onto Darksilver's back. The horse was calm as she trotted  
him over to Mitria, swinging her up with her. Then she broke the horse  
into a gallop over the a small cabin, separate from the rest of the barracks,  
and knocked on the door. Then she whistled a shrill whistle and two  
golden- brown horses galloped up, and Mitria's blue right behind them.  
Mitria swung up on her horse, and Lance and Alan, just coming out of  
their cabin got on the two browns. "Well, hello, you two," Lorelei  
greeted, "Let me introduce you to Mitria, my friend as a girl. This horse  
I'm riding on is named Darksilver, Mitria's blue is named Tzar. The two  
horses you are riding are, let's see, Lance's is Acorn and Alan' s is Olive.  
Oh, and let me tell you, that there aren't just pokemon here. There are  
animals like them, like Moo-moo's are to cows and things. Well, you'll  
see. It's just the climate that allows us to have both." Lance and Alan  
looked a little confused, but shrugged it off. Then Mitria yelled, "Well  
then! Off to dinner!"   
--------- End Part 1----  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
